Ruth's Knits

Moving

2006-07-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately - I HAVE been working on things, and I've actually been finishing up some handbags (Part 2 AND 3 will come, I promise!), and I'm also almost done blocking something. So stay tuned for some FO's.

Besides working on crafting things, I've also been working on a new website. Yes, I have jumped on the Wordpress bandwagon. I've been loyal to Blogger since early 2002, but now's the time for a change. I'm still working on the site, so be patient with me (I have yet to move my gallery over, as well as notify all the rings, etc.)...

But in the meantime, change your bookmarks, bloglines, whatever you use, and see you over THERE!! It's already up and running!

My New Home

Summer Handbags, Part 1

2006-06-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

Not only is this post an FO post, there are TWO FO's in here!
(Notice that its just "Part 1", which means a "Part 2" will come soon.) =)

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Handbag #1

My "Heather" handbag:

Inside, where I added a lining (I sewed the lining with a lightweight interfacing) plus a magnet snap button:

Close-up of the beads and cables:

Close-up of the scalloped edging:

Pattern: "Heather"; 25 Bags To Knit by Emma King, pg. 98
Yarn: Rowan Calmer in Chiffon (light lavendar) #462, 1 skein; Rowan Lurex Shimmer in Gleam #336, 1 skein.
Needle: Size 7 straights
Hook: One the larger steel hooks I had (sorry I forgot which size)
Other notions: 84 pale pink beads

Pattern Notes:

Pattern
You know, I purchased this book around the time I was just starting to knit. This was the handbag I first fell in love with, but was dismayed at the fact that it was too advanced for me (I didn't know how to do cables, beading, crochet). Over a year later, now I can say that it was SUCH a simple knit! The only thing I changed was the crochet scallop at the top edging - the pattern calls for a single crochet, but I didn't like how that looked. I did a double crochet instead (it gave it a more finished look).

Yarn
I see how Calmer is so popular. It's soft, elastic, and is wonderful to knit with. I'm not quite sure how it works for a bag though - as it is pretty elastic and stretchy. The color that this pattern calls for (the Chiffon) is discontinued, but I was able to land the 2 skeins required for it. But I didn't need 2 skeins that the pattern said I needed - I only used 1 skein. Which means, I have one more skein leftover. (P.S. Anyone want it?? It's a really pretty light lavendar. I also have tons of the Lurex Shimmer.. for anyone who wants to make this bag, just msg me!)

Sewing
I'll talk more about my sewing in the next FO below, but this was the first time I felt confident with my lining. I used Pellon Fusible 911 (for lightweight fabrics) interfacing with my lining, and it worked perfect - the interfacing gave the bag more of a sturdy shape, especially given the yarn's soft and stretchy characteristics.

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Handbag #2

My FIRST sewing accomplishment, ever!!
Here's my Amy Butler "In Town" Smart Handbag:

Inside lining (with 4 pockets):

Outside button:

Inside button:

Pattern
Despite my sewing frustrations, I was able to take a breather and finish this up. I was quite impressed with the end result!! And it feels sturdy and strong - I was pretty satisfied with the whole project. Amy Butler patterns are terrific for beginners, as she explains things and provides diagrams that are easy to read/understand.

Fabric
I just got whatever cute lightweight cotton fabric I found in my local Joann's. I heard from other reviews on this pattern that the bag might end up a bit on the floppy/flimsy side, so I added Pellon Fusible 911 interfacing on all my fabric. It worked really well. I omitted the interfacing on my handles though, because it made it too hard to stitch straight lines on something so narrow and thick.

Knitting Superstitions

2006-06-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

I'd like to start off by saying I'm not a superstitious kinda gal. Never was. I have no problem walking under ladders, opening umbrellas indoors, and black cats mean nothing to me. I remember in high school I had a locker mirror (one of those magnet ones that you stick to the inside of the locker door) that I purposely broke in front of a gasping friend, just to show her that it meant nothing to me. NOTHING.

Generally speaking, I'm a God-fearing girl who doesn't take heed to all that mumbo jumbo. My feet are firmly set on the floor. Which begs the question, this past month, why am I all of a sudden scared of publicly sharing/posting any of my recent knitting projects and activities? Why the silence and hidden projects? (This also applies to my sewing projects, which we'll save for another post for another day.)

Turns out, I'm very wary of fully publicizing my WIPs in fear that I'll never finish them in a timely manner. Notice the list of WIPs progress bars on the right side of this blog? Three of those projects are currently stalled or put "on hold". for some reason, whenever I list a project up there, it takes nearly the whole earth and sky to move together for me to finish something. Why is that?!??

So in the meantime, just for your hungry eyes to feast on, here's a glimpse of some of my "active" projects currently on my needles:

Can you identify any of them? =)
(Some of you who knit with me locally can probably guess some of them)

Sew Frustrating

2006-06-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

First of all I have to say that although I've been a bit absent from my blogs, it doesn't mean I haven't been doing anything craft-related. On the contrary, I've actually been very busy - aside from the projects on my sidebar, I have casted on and am in the midst of four new projects. Yes, I know, I'm a project-whore. Even my dear hubby has mentioned every so casually for me to be careful, as I may get overwelmed with all my projects. Too late. =P

Ok, back to the intention/purpose of this post. For those who do not know, I have jumped on the sewing bandwagon (no groaning please). I've actually wanted to learn to sew every since I got married, 4 years ago, but was scared to death of the sewing machine. Even my mother-in-law attempted a lesson or two on her old machine, but nothing helped. As a result of my procrastination/conflict-avoidant/cowardly personality, I decided to put the whole sewing-thing on hold and opted to start on knitting instead (this was 2004).

My younger brother is a sewer. In fact, when he found out I was secretly shopping around for a machine, he gave me tips on what to look for, and was hugely excited about the whole prospect of me sewing. He even said (I'm loosely paraphrasing here) that once I get into sewing, I'll completely abandon my knitting because sewing is just so much more exciting and faster. I was offended and appalled by that statement. It made me even more wary of the whole thing (how can I EVER let go of my first love - knitting?? Never!!!)

So this year, I finally got the nerve to sign up for a sewing class. It started off okay... manageable. In fact, in class, for my first sewing project, I decided I would do two projects instead. I don't know if this is just me, being a beginner or not, but whoever said that sewing was relaxing was insane. I don't think its relaxing at all. It's hugely stressful for me, getting it right, getting it straight, making it look good, what's wrong with this damn machine, why are the stitches looking so strange, etc. etc.

Excuse the poor quality of pictures, as I snapped these photos in frustration/anger:

Difficulty turning these loops...

.. with this wretched tool (a complete waste of money):

My ugly fugly crooked stitches:

So I come home from the class, wound up too tightly, looking like I'm ready to strangle something/someone. Dear hubby notices, and we have this exchange:

Hubby: How was class? Are you ok?

Me: Whoever said that sewing was relaxing was on crack. I'm so mad!! I don't think I ever get this upset when I make mistakes with my knitting - I just end up sad or depressed, but never angry. But this sewing really got me mad!! If I was strong enough, I would pick up my sewing machine and throw it against the wall!! But it's too friggin heavy!! $#@$#!$#@#$!!

Hubby: Really. [Studies me a little closely] Do you think this has anything to do with what time of month this is?

Me: [long pause] ...

He's got me speechless there. I HATE it when he's right. Time to stay away from the machine until I cool off. Sewing will become enjoyable when this week is over. ARGH!!$#@$#!@

Gifting

2006-06-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry to say, this post won't talk about any of my current knitting (I've cast-on for 2 new projects in the past 5 days). Today's post is purely on gifts alone - starting with a new friend that came in my mailbox!

It's Karen's cat!! Thank you!! What a cutie, huh? And friendships are already being forged in my household (e.g. Blobby):

And this gift was quite a while back, but I was thrilled to receive little stitch markers from Toni. Aren't they pretty?

Lastly, I'm finally presenting pictures of some baby blanket collaborations I participated in. The blankets were put together by groups of friends in secret, and in the past couple weeks, have finally been received by their intended recipients (and their newborns). It was a whole lot of fun, and a special way for knitting friends to knit together something special for a new mother!

This is Regina's blanket - squares made by various local SnB members. (P.S. See the heart in the middle? That was one of my squares) =)

Another blanket collaboration was for Lynette. This project was especially unique as it involved a group of long-distance friends. We all took a color and did our squares, and it was seamed by Caitlyn, Cyndi, and eventually, Stephanie (photo courtesy of Stephanie, more details here).

If I had received a blanket such as these, I would have felt so honored and blessed by the work done by my friends. A blanket of blessings, indeed! (And such fun to help in the giving process as well!) But alas, no babies here (yet). In the meantime, I'll be here, cuddling with my new cat. =)

FO: SnB One Skein Scarf

2006-05-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

My first crocheted FO!
I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, and it's soft and really warm - very fun, flirty, and feminine!

A close-up of the stitches:

Pattern: SnB Crochet: The Happy Hooker "One-Skein Scarf", by Denise Cozzitorto
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran #602, 2 skeins
Needle: Size K/10.5 hook
Size: 3.5" wide x 75.5" long

Pattern Notes:

Pattern
A really fast crochet! I did it in only a couple hours, seriously. It's just a couple rows of double-crochet stitches, and just a border of shells all around (shells also made out of double-crochet stitches). After doing a bunch of neverending sweaters, this quick project really hit the instant gratification button in me. Plus, it's a super cute scarf!

Yarn
Although this is called a "one skein", I used two skeins. The recommended yarn was 233 yards, but the DB Cash Aran was approx. 100 yards each, and I only used a full skein and then maybe 60% of the second skein. And of course, the yarn was soft and warm. Even though this scarf is more decorative than functional, it really still warms me up. =)

FO: SnB Peppermint Twist Sweater

2006-05-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

*EDITED TO ADD A "MODEL" PICTURE*
(Yes, I crumble under peer pressure very easily)

Couldn't wait for this day, could you? (To tell you the truth, I couldn't wait for this day either!) =D I will do my best to show lots of pictures for your visual enjoyment. Because you KNOW you want to see them! (I can't wait to show them to you either!)

Ta-da!! (Click image for a close-up)

Model picture, as requested:

Close-up of stripes:

Close-up of ribbing:

Some seaming snapshots - the first two are the front and back being seamed via mattress stitch. Invisible and nice huh? I love the mattress stitch!

The raglan side before seaming:

Alright, now for the knitty gritty...

Pattern: Stitch 'n Bitch "Peppermint Twist Sweater", by Becky Delgado
Yarn: Rowan Cotton Glace, 7 skeins Bubbles (#724), 2 skeins Glee (#799), 2 skeins Passion (#805); Phildar Sunset, 1 skein Indien; YLI Candlelight metallic yarn, 1 spool Deep Pink (#024)
Needle: US #3 circular needle
Size: Medium (36" bust)

Pattern Notes:

Pattern: An easy knit! Although it was all stockinette (which, to a lace-loving knitter myself, could be hugely boring), but switching colors and seeing it knit up as I go made it lots of fun. I also discovered that I love knitting with smaller needles. I briefly thought about knitting this up in the round (to avoid the seaming) but decided against it. I ended up weaving what seemed like a million little ends.

Yarn:
And speaking of weaving all the little ends - I have something to say about the yarn. I used all the recommended yarn, and then some. The pattern calls for only ONE skein of the dark purple (Passion, #805), but I realized that towards the end, I ran out fast. I had to purchase another skein to finish. And I also heard that I was not the only one who needed to get an extra skein. I also ended up with more than enough of the main color (Bubbles). I think I could have purchased 6 skeins, rather than the recommended 7, and still have been good for a medium size.

As for the Phildar Sunset, yes, it is a metallic type of yarn. It's gauge is smaller than the Cotton Glace, and so I doubled it up with some metallic yarn/thread I had on hand (the Candlelight). And when I weaved in the ends for these yarns, I used some fabric glue to secure the ends. They are slippery and I can see how the ends can just slip right out.

Gauge/Size:
I couldn't make gauge with the recommended size 2 needle. So I went with size 3 and it worked out great. Except for the sleeves. Either my arms are much skinnier than everyone else's (which I seriously doubt), or it would have been better for me to knit up a smaller size for my sleeves, as they were sort of wide and baggy for me. It also didn't cross my mind until AFTER I tried on the finished sweater that my shoulders are naturally wider than the average person, so a raglan-style top would NOT be flattering for my shoulders (raglan is good for making your shoulders look wider, if you have smaller shoulders). I did not know this, until I put on this sweater. ~~That's why I'm not posting a picture of myself wearing it. Just trust me, with the shoulders I have, it's not flattering.~~ So I wet-blocked it and instead of air drying flat, I ran it through the delicate cycle of my dryer. It slightly shrunk - just enough so it would fit a tad better. In retrospect, I think I probably knit a size too big for me (I should have done a small rather than a medium). This sweater is better as a more fitted sweater than a loose one.

Seaming
Ok, did I mention how much I love the mattress stitch?? It makes seaming so much more enjoyable. I will say, however, that seaming the raglan parts were a big pain. The pattern calls for you to do the raglan decreasing by binding off one stitch at the beginning of each row, thus creating a stair-step line, rather than a smooth angled line (see the raglan side picture above). See it? I kind of wished I had just did some right/left-slanting decreases to make the edges more smoother to stitch. Nevertheless, I figured out how to do the mattress stitch even with the stair-step edges. Took me a long time to figure out where to insert my tapestry needle, but I figured it out and I'm happy with the results.

=)

Crochet with Debbie Stoller

2006-05-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'd like to say that Blogger is being increasingly irritating. Uploading pictures is getting to be a pain, and I had to dig up my Picasa/Hello program to load them up instead (does anyone know how to load up multiple pictures at a time through this program - rather than uploading each one one by one?) Even publishing is frustrating.

In anycase, I wanted to share with you a couple pictures from the latest "Stitch 'n Ride" with Debbie Stoller! A couple of us from SnB came along for the ride.

Yours truly, with JJ (who is camera shy):

Sara & Marin:

Debbie brought alot of crocheted pattern examples from her "Happy Hooker" book.

Sara is proudly modelling "Cupcake" (pattern on p. 165):

Sara modelling "Short 'n Sweet" (pattern on p. 168)

Debbie also gave a short crochet lesson:

And signed some books!

Here is my crochet progress:

Close-up of a square:

I am realizing that once I'm getting the hang of crochet - it's actually alot easier than knitting, and it goes by much faster! Of course it eats up much more yarn and the textures are different, but I'm enjoying it alot so far.

Running Out

2006-04-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

(Click image for a closer look)

To the left, is the front side completed and unblocked (it's curling on the sides, if you can tell). The right panel is the back side, almost halfway done (and also curling a bit). The frustrating thing is that I've realized I don't have enough of the purple yarn to complete the stripes!! GRRR!!

I am using the recommended yarn and the recommended amount for this pattern listed in the SnB Handbook. It lists out only 1 ball of this purple shade, but I've noticed that I need more than 1 ball (and I don't knit terribly loose to waste yarn either). I've spoken online with one other knitter who had the same problem. Anyone else with the same situation (or not)? I've also noticed that I will have at least a ball or two extra of the main pink color. Something's off. But that's ok. I've already reordered the purple yarn from yarnmarket and it should be coming anyday now... maybe today? Once it comes, I can continue with this project. My fingers are itching to knit this up and finish - so I can finally wear this before the weather starts getting hot! =D

Lastly, I have something just for Karen, regarding "homely-looking friends". (This has absolutely nothing to do with my Peppermint Twist sweater, btw.)

Meet a few friends of mine:

This is Pooky (left) and Blobby (right). Although in my household, they are the best of friends, the inequality between them is obvious. Pooky is obviously well known and well loved by all Garfield fans out there. He's formed perfectly with just the amount of adorableness and cuddleness for everyone out there. Blobby, on the other hand, is a different story.

I met Blobby at the UCD bookstore gift shop, when I was a graduating senior. He was in a pile of other similarly made bears, except for some reason, Blobby stood out and looked different from the rest.

Instantly my heart went out to the poor thing, who was seemingly destined to a life of rejection and abandonment. So I picked him up, purchased him at FULL PRICE (yes, I wanted to send him the message that he is worth the same value as all his other more fully formed peers), and have cherished him ever since. Unfortunately, I cannot say that everyone in my family has had the same affection for him as I have. Over the years, for his protection, I've had to hide him from various members of my very own family (aka: my brother) who would try to find him just to sit on him, smack him around, or throw him in the trash. Do you how many times I've had to dig Blobby from underneath my brother's butt or the trash?? (By the way, this heineous activity still exists to this day - so that's why Blobby currently lives in my bra drawer, where I KNOW he won't be bothered there.)

So the lesson of the day is this: No matter how homely looking, every little friend deserves just as much love (if not more) as anyone else. =D

SnB Secret Pal Goodies

2006-04-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so last night at SnB we had our 3rd and final SP exchange... check out my goodies!!

A really cute basket, with the following goodies:

1 bottle of B&B Night-Blooming Jasmine Shower Gel (this is now one of my new fav scents)
2 skeins Lamb's Pride Worsted in Wild Violet
1 skein Atacama in Lilac (100% alpaca!!)
1 skein JaggerSpun Zephyr in Cassis
1 pattern for The Lucy Bag

Turned out my SP has been my good friend Chor (some know her as Caitlyn) - thank you so much! And to think that I was scratching my head earlier, wondering how my SP knew exactly what I liked! So yes, I definately have a purple felted bag project coming up soon. =)

On the flipside, I was the SP for Sara. Among yarns and other goodies I gave her, I made some stitch markers for her:

I'm still a beginner with all the jewelry-making stuff, and I realized much later that perhaps these stitch markers can catch on yarn and are probably too long and dangly. But hopefully they were received ok. =)

And lastly, here's a meme from Jade so here goes!

1. Six minutes to yourself:
Knitting, of course. Duh!!

2. Six bucks to spend right now:
In-n-out. I know, really unhealthy. But oooh, a cheeseburger and animal-style fries would be good just about now. =)

3. Six items in your house you could part with, right now, that you hadn't thought of already?
All of Wayne's old stuffed animals and high school stuff (I'm married to a packrat). That should cover more than 6 items easily.

4. Six items you absolutely, positively could never part with in your house?
My kitchen aid standmixer. My computer. My palm pilot. My yarn/knitting. My wedding ring. And my garlic chili hot sauce in the fridge.

5. Six words you love?
Friendship. Grace. Hugs. Love. Discount. Spaghetti. (Sorry, I'm REALLY hungry right now)

My stomach is talking to me now - time to feed it before it gets angry.
Have a great weekend!

Another WIP

2006-04-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Missed me? =P I know I haven't posted in awhile... I've been doing my best to keep track of everyone else's knitting progress, and am hugely jealous of everyone else's FO's when I've only got my fugly sock to show for 2006 so far. And even though I don't have an FO yet, I have added another WIP to my list (I know, I know, no more WIPs until I finish something!)

If you haven't heard, this purse is currently a stalled-status project. Haven't figured out what to do with it, but right now, don't want to think about it.

As for my new WIP, I'm sure you're dying to know what I'm making (har har). I've actually had the yarn for this project for nearly a year, and was just waiting to cast-on for it.

Yep, it's SnB's "Peppermint Twist" sweater. Even though it's been a little busy lately, I was still able to get some knitting done...

I've got the front done:

Close-up of the stripes:

Those blasted ends - there must have been hundreds of ends to weave in:

One of the completed sleeves:

It's a raglan sweater. I've done the front, and both sleeves, and I just started the back. Once all the pieces are done, I'll seam them together and do the neckline. The pattern calls for size 2 needles, but I couldn't make gauge with size 2. So I'm using size 3 instead.

This week is spring break (yay) so I finally have time to do my very neglected housework!! And all that laundry!! Blechhh

Knitting Therapy

2006-03-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

Life is starting to get slightly crazy. I'm not one of those people who thrives on stress - and currently I'm juggling a few things. I'm coordinating a couple ministries at my church (one of them being a small group, another being a fun knitting/crocheting group). I'm also coordinating a couple weddings for a few friends. I'm also on the planning committee for our church's annual Women's Spring Tea - a really fun event for the ladies, but it takes up alot of my time. Not to mention my Mandarin class, which definately is work. I'm excited about everything I'm doing - but starting to feel stressed. April won't be a pretty month, I'll tell you that much. So I'll be doing my best to keep my head (and spirit) above water. And I definately won't abandon my knitting - right now it's therapy for me.

After a long busy day, isn't it nice to just sit in your comfy chair (or wherever you do your knitting), pick up your needles, and knit away? There is something so soothing and theraputic about it. And especially when it's with friends, I can just let loose and decompress.

And I'm glad I've made so many knitting friends too - alot of them through this blog! Caitlyn was the one who convinced me to post pictures of my stuff online (has it been a year already?), and also convinced me to check out our SnB group. So I have her to thank for getting me into my current knitting community.

And speaking of knitting community... the other day I got a package from Laura that really encouraged me (I was able to briefly take a pause in my day to enjoy her gifts!) - thanks so much Laura!! Your package really came at the right time when I needed a pick-me-up:

(2 fun cushion covers, 2 hair bands, a couple fun dangly earrings, 1 really cute little bear chain, and 1 Japanese craft magazine)

I also have gotten some fun gifts from my SnB secret pal (yes, we are doing secret pals - lots of fun). I'm pretty sure my secret pal has been on my page (how else would she know what I like? Her gifts have been dead on!). =)

(1 ball of Rowan cork, 2 balls of Debbie Bliss Cash Aran, 1 bottle of yummy B&B body cream in Night-Blooming Jasmine, and 1 book of crocheted scarves)

(Vogue's Stitchionary, and a B&B body spray in Night-Blooming Jasmine)

Lacy Bliss

2006-03-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

Had a really relaxing but fun weekend (details here). Was in Monterey and Carmel with hubby, from Wednesday to Sunday. I found a couple really nice LYS along the way. They are worth visiting, if you are in the area!

Knitting By The Sea
5th & Junipiero
Carmel, CA 93923
800-823-3189

Monarch Knitting & Quilts
529 Central Ave. Ste. 3
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
888-575-9276
(www.monarchknitting.com)

On another note, I was tagged by Kaity awhile back, and finally had a moment to take a shot of my knitting space. It's on one of our couches in front of the TV, with lots of cushions and "friends" who keep me company (meet Clancy the Bear and Alfred the Reindeer):

See the blue fuzzy project on the couch? It's my mohair Lacy Lattice Stole project, and I'm taking my time with it and really enjoying it. It took awhile to get used to the mohair, and now it's no problem at all. Lace is so addicting. I'm steadily making progress on it (I'm almost at the halfway point) but I'm enjoying the process of lace so much. (You can click on the photo below to see an upclose look at it.)

One thing I realized is that mohair in dark colors may not have been the best choice to show off the lace definition. From afar, it just looks like one dark furry thing, but it isn't until you look closely (and against a light background) that you can see the actual lace. Oh well, I didn't know about this when I started, but nevertheless, I'm still enjoying it immensely. This project was intended to be a gift, but because of all the work on it, I'm not quite sure I can part with it, once I'm done. So who knows - I just might keep it for myself. =)

Hope everyone has a good week!

Happily Hooking Away

2006-03-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right, I'm hooked.

I've been practicing on some other motifs, these in particularly from one of Candi Jenson's books "Crochet Bags" with the cutest handbag. I had some help with some of the talented ladies in my church (did I mention I was starting a knitting group at my church?) It's made with granny squares, and in the squares, little sweet posies that "pop" out from the center!

I also stocked up on some crochet books. The "Teach Yourself Visually Crochet" is a great reference/teaching tool, beside the Candi Jensen books I've already got. And of course, Debbie Stoller's fun "Happy Hooker". I love her fun and light style of writing, and this book has got alot of cute patterns in there.

And, just because I'm a fan of Nancy Wiseman's book on finishing techniques on knitting, I got her recent book on finishing for crochet. Very helpful!

As for knitting, I'm getting there. Right now the housework has been so seriously neglected (did I mention how much I hate cleaning the house), so I'm only using knitting as a way to treat myself (e.g. Once I finish cleaning the kitchen, I get to knit 5 rows; vacuuming the family room, 5 more rows!). So far it's working. ;)

Happy Friday!

2006-02-24T16:21:00.000-08:00

A bit of randomness here. As my dad had always told me, the state of your room reflects the state of your mind (referring to how messy my room has always been). Being one of those procrastinating perfectionists, he's got a point there. I actually DO feel much better when things are put in their place and everything is tidy, but when they aren't, I know my head is all a puddle. Let me show you my "puddle":

Can you count how many WIPs are in there? It's a bit hard to see since alot of them are in their plastic bags (my method of containing the madness). Right now you see them on the floor of one of the guest rooms, which I've been using to put all my crafting stuff in. They were originally all over the family room, until the hubby complained that my knitting was EVERYWHERE (literally, on every table surface, couches, floor, whatever), so I decided to collect them all and put them here. And then close the door.

I also made a couple purchases. Here's a wine box I bought to contain my needles (ignore the yarn mess on the side):

A knitting bag from Martha! I love it!!

And of course, this is totally nonknitting related, but I had to share with you my latest toy, a Hello Kitty CD player:

Lastly, I was tagged by Hui Leng, so here goes:

5 Things In My Refridgerator:

1. nonfat milk (I can't live without it)
2. mashed potatoes and gravy (hubby brings back drug rep lunch leftovers all the time)
3. chow mein
4. tangerines
5. hot sauce (I can't live without this either)

Ok, hopefully by the time I make my next post, my head will be clearer and I'll have made some knitting progress on something. =P

Craft Junkie

2006-02-13T12:52:00.000-08:00

This could get VERY addicting. And I think I'm already hooked. Seriously, there are not enough hours in a day to keep up. And I am determined to teach myself these crafts. Being self-taught gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. And tada, here we go! (click for a close-up)

They are still a bit on the crude side, and still very very simple, but that's ok. As you can tell, I LOVE accessories. If you didn't know already, I have a love for handbags, and now, earrings. Dangly, sparkly ones. You'll be seeing more of these. =)

Because my schedule is SO packed (I'm booked from now til May), I don't have time to expand much on my new growing hobbies. I would like to crochet a bit more, and start sewing as well. But I think I'll have to postpone sewing and crocheting til the summer...

My First Jewelry Piece

2006-02-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

Had a fun weekend - all of which were not Superbowl related (although I was sad to see the Seahawks lose so badly). I explored Sacramento with a few SnB friends (free museum day), met up with some friends later for several rounds of Scrabble, and then went down to the bay area to visit my inlaws (it was my FIL's 65th birthday). My hubby even accompanied me to a couple LYS during the Superbowl (bless his heart) - I checked out Commuknity and Rug & Hut. I wasn't able to get much knitting done because of all the Mandarin homework I had to do (to those who don't know, I'm taking a Mandarin class, and we have a quiz/test at every class sitting... grrr)

Anyhow, I know this is non-knitting related, but I have recently been trying out beading/jewelry. Here's the first thing I put together:

I also made some other similarly related fun things, but I can't show them to you just yet. In fact, there are a bunch of things I can't post on this blog just yet because I'm involved with several clandestine activities... and I realize how many people actually read/lurk this blog (of which many of you are my personal friends)! You know who you are! =)

Year of the Dog

2006-01-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

To start off, I want to wish you a happy Chinese New Year! If you're Mandarin speaking, Xin Nian Kuai Le! If you're Cantonese speaking, Kung Hei Fat Choi! (sorry about my sucky pinyin skills). As a child I used to love this time of year (it comes third after Christmas and my birthday), because of the wonderful food and the red envelopes of money we'd get! Click here for more information on one of the biggest holidays of the year.

And of course, it is the year of the dog:

Ushering the new year, I had originaly intended to clean my house beforehand (a great excuse to get my butt going on this) but ended up not having enough time to do so. That's ok, at least I got to do something different - it was my first time making traditional sticky rice cake from scratch (nian gao): YUMMY!

With the celebrations, I was able to also get some knitting done too:

A couple close-ups:

I'm feeling alot more comfortable with mohair. Lace is quite addicting - I love how detailed it is (I'm never bored with it) and when I look back at what I've done, I love how it looks!

P.S. If you've noticed, I've changed my template once again. I think I'll stick with this for now - it's functional and clean. =) I have also joined the Frappr bandwagon too, come put yourself on my map! =)

A New WIP

2006-01-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

This is my third WIP (the max limit I've set for myself)... I'm pretty excited about it. This is my very first full sweater project, and it's for ME. I've done a bunch of baby sweaters/clothes, but now it's time for a special something for me! I'm using the lovely Karabella Aurora 8, for this project.

On the advice of Caitlyn, I've taken the pattern chart and handwrote notes for myself to make things easier.

One of the pattern charts provided:

My own chart notes:

The lovely yarn:

The yarn is really soft and elastic, and really nice on my fingers. Because the yarn is so smooth, the stitch definition is wonderful! I'm just worried about the elasticity - when wet, I've heard that it can stretch and grow in size! Some have said that it dries back to it's original shape, others have said it dries slightly larger than original shape. I'm knitting this sweater up in a slightly tighter gauge, hopefully to make up for this...

Triple Tagged!

2006-01-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

As if you didn't know me already, here's another bit about me that you can chew on. I've been tagged by Estee, Judy, and Cyndi with the same meme at the same time!

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Office Administrator at a startup company in Santa Clara. My first job out of college. Great boss who taught me work ethics, finance, and a little bit of faith.
2. Maryhouse staff - homeless shelter here in Sacramento. A great experience that opened my eyes to the struggles of those who have limited options, and the big mess that we call "charity". I won't say anymore but I quit after a couple months - mostly because of my experience with the staff.
3. Lobbyist intern here in Sacramento. Great stuff. Exciting to be running around the capital acting like my head just got cut off, but looking great in my grey power suit and pumps while doing it.
4. Research assistant. At Sac State. Boring as hell. While I love research (the analysis part of it), gathering data was the boring grunt work and I felt like an idiot doing it. I might as well have been another monkey.

Four movies you could watch over and over:
1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Office Space
3. Any of Hayao Miyazaki's films
4. Any of the Godfather movies

Four places you have lived:
1. Corvallis, Oregon
2. Fountain Valley, CA (Orange County)
3. Saratoga, CA (Santa Clara County)
4. Sacramento, CA

Four tv shows you love to watch:
1. Gilmore Girls
2. Project Runway
3. Oprah
4. Everyday Italian (Food Network)

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Maui
2. Asia: Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand (Nepal and China don't count - I wasn't on vacation at the time)
3. Canada (Vancouver and Toronto)
4. Up and down the California coast, Oregon coast, and Washington (Seattle)

Four websites you visit daily:
1. My bloglines subscriptions
2. My xanga subscriptions
3. My email
4. Yahoo news

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Pasta
2. Oxtail stew
3. Warm Soups
4. Osso Bucco

Four places you would rather be right now:
1. Maui
2. a LYS
3. in my knitting spot
4. with Wayne (hubby) =)

Four Bloggers you are tagging:
I'm going to do it again. Sorry! (And again, if you don't want to, you don't have to) =)
1. Karen
2. Jen
3. Caitlyn
4. Gail

World's Ugliest Sock

2006-01-16T21:38:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a full one! But one of the highlights was getting together with Lynette, Cyndi, and Caitlyn at Frog Pond. I even bumped into Courtney there! It was great hanging out with the ladies and finally meeting Lynette. Of course, I was running late and completely forgot to bring the camera. That just means we have to get together again soon! =)

In anycase, at our meeting I was able to complete my very first sock, which just so happens to be THE world's ugliest sock. It's huge. Here's the ugly evidence:

Pattern: Magic Stripes Basic Socks, from Lion Brand
Yarn: Lion Brand Magic Stripes in Denim Stripe, 1 ball.
Needle: US #3 dpn's

The project was just to experience what all the sock fuss was. I know those of you who absolutely love knitting socks, that's wonderful. I just don't happen to be a sock type of gal, so there wasn't even that much motivation to knit them. I don't usually wear socks, unless my feet are absolutely freezing. So to all the sock-knitters out there, my sincere apologies. I'm just not into socks. Handbags, on the otherhand.... =)

Ruffle Disaster

2006-01-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry for all the depressing news. I HAVE to share with you another weekend disaster. I've been knitting up a secret project for another friend. Anybody own any of Nicky Epstein's books? If you do, you'll recognize this little project:

I casted on during Thanksgiving, and I recently finished one side of the bag. I doesn't usually take me that long to do a bag, but the yarn is really difficult on my hands and TERRIBLE to work with. (When I finish this bag, I'll do a more in-depth review of this yarn.) And speaking of finishing, after I had done one side of the bag, it dawned on me that I had knitted it BACKWARDS. All the ruffles are in reverse, with the wrong side showing!! ARGH!!!!!

The ruffles are really curly (as expected, I will have to block this baby when I'm finished). I've already cast on and started re-doing that first side again. Yes, I WILL finish this project. It will not turn out to be one of those WIPs that are really waiting to be frogged. I've purchased the purse frame for this and everything. I WILL do this!!!

Oddball Meme

2006-01-11T15:53:00.001-08:00

***Ground Rules: The first player of this "game" starts with the topic "5 weird habits of yours" and people who get tagged need to write a blog entry about their 5 quirky habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next 5 people to be tagged and list their names.***

Tagged by Jen! For some reason, it feels like I've done this meme (or something similar) before. Or maybe I've seen this floating around for a long time and it feels like I've done it before? =P

1. Instant-Messaging: I am ALWAYS online. I may not always be at the computer, but my computer is always on and connected. I'm more of an IM-gal than a phone gal. It is because of my trillian that I am able to KIT with so many of my out-of-town friends (90% of my active contacts are not from Sacramento). I almost never use the phone unless it's purely for informational purposes, and even at that, I prefer to email/IM you instead. So if you want to get a hold of me and get a quick response, you better have a computer. (I'm terrible at calling people back, sorry!)

2. Milk Tea: If you don't know what this is, you're missing out (more info here). I'm very picky with what I get when I'm at a boba place (Tapioca Express, Q-Cup, Lollicup, Fantasia, etc.). I always get a Jasmine/Green milk tea with lychee jelly (don't mess with my usual order!!). If someone accidentally gives me a regular milk tea, I will either 1) ask them to re-do my order, 2) give it to the hubby in disgust, or 3) be tempted to throw it away. If they run out of lychee jelly, I'll opt for a hot Jasmine/Green milk tea with nothing. No boba at all.

3. Shower routine: Ok, so I always have to pee before I jump in the shower. Don't ask me why. Even if I don't need to use the bathroom, I feel weird jumping in the shower without going to pee first. Is that weird?

4. Security: I screen my calls. I don't have caller ID at my home number yet, but alot of the times if I'm not expecting a call, I'll let it go to my answering machine. If you are leaving me a message and I realize that you aren't a telemarketer, I will pick up the phone. I also don't answer the front door unless I know I'm expecting someone. I don't want to deal with anyone trying to convince me of their religious beliefs, or sell me some magazines, carpet cleaners, water softener systems, or anything. Sorry.

5. Shopping: I love browsing through the usual malls, but because I've always grown up with a small/tight budget, by habit I am very frugal with how I shop. If I absolutely don't need it (although the actual definition of "need" may vary with my mood), I won't get it. I try to enter a store with a clear idea of getting ONLY what I need to get, with a set formulated list in my head. And if I see an unexpected but enticing item that is not on my list, I will do the following: cover up the price tag, name my own price that I would purchase the item, and compare to see if my price matches the actual price. If it doesn't match, or if the actual price is higher than the one I named, I'll try my very best to emotionally detach from the item. It's more difficult than it sounds, but I try very hard. (This happens alot at yarn stores and Sanrio stores.)

Ok, don't get mad at me, but I'm going to tag some of you. You don't have to do it, but I'm just tagging you because I'd like to know a little bit about you too. But of course, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. =D

Lynda
Laura
Donna
Shelley
Courtney

Yarn!

2006-01-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

When the UPS man is in the neighborhood, I'm always excited! Remember that fab gift certificate I received from some very thoughtful friends? Here's what I got for it:

8 balls for this project:

A closer look:

I can't cast on just yet - I promised myself that at this point, I have to finish at least one project before I cast on for another. So I'm hurrying with my WIPs because I really want to start this sweater soon, and experience this yarn!!

And here's a little something I got from Becky:

It's Koigu Fancy, and the yarn colors are lovely. Thanks Becky!

P.S. To those who enjoyed the pink flowers template - sorry, I've taken it out. I'm still playing with my template, so what I've got now is only temporary, until I find something that I really like. I'm starting to play around with the Blogger tags (we'll see how that goes), so this might take awhile. =)

100 Things About Me

2006-01-06T00:11:00.000-08:00

1. I was born in Corvallis, Oregon.
2. I spent most of my life in California.
3. I prefer Northern California over Southern (sorry!).
4. I used to live in Orange County.
5. I am the oldest among my siblings.
6. My sister and I are 10 years apart.
7. My brother and I are 16 months apart.
8. I am Chinese-American.
9. I can understand spoken converational Mandarin, but I can barely speak it.
10. When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher, a missionary, and a registered nurse (in that order).
11. I went to UC Davis for undergrad.
12. I went to Sac State for my MSW (Masters in Social Work).
13. My Myers-Briggs profile is INFJ.
14. I love eating out and trying out different types of food.
15. I love to cook and try out new recipes.
16. My KitchenAid stand mixer is one of my favorite appliances.
17. I prefer tea over coffee.
18. I learned to cook several years ago by watching Rachael Ray on Food Network (who says TV is good for nothing?!?).
19. My dad taught me how to knit when I was still in grade school.
20. I re-taught myself (knitting) again in 2004.
21. I've set foot in the following countries: Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong (when it was still under Britain rule), Macau (when it was still under Portugal rule), China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Nepal.
22. I didn't include Japan in the list because I've never actually stepped out of the airport.
23. I've set foot in the following states: Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona (scarce, isn't it).
24. I love to knit.
25. I love to eat.
26. I hate cleaning house.
27. I'm a housewife/homemaker.
28. I think I'm more American than Chinese.
29. I think my family of origin is more Chinese than American.
30. My parents and I are currently not on "friendly" terms.
31. My husband was my very first (and only) boyfriend.
32. I love being married to my husband.
33. I am obsessed with handbags.
34. I refuse to eat peas, beans, bitter melon, and durian.
35. I will pick out peas from fried rice. One. by. One.
36. I absolutely abhor dancing (I'm not a kinesthetic person of any kind).
37. I'm a people person.
38. I'm a closeted Sanrio/Hello Kitty fan.
39. I've been stalked before.
40. I am a born-again Christian.
41. I hate all religious stereotypes imposed on me.
42. I refuse to participate in any "pro-marriage"/"anti-gay" movement.
43. I also refuse to participate in any "pro-life" movement as well.
44. Pat Robertson embarrasses me.
45. I love potato chips.
46. I hate crying in public.
47. I cry easily when watching the news or Oprah (when I'm by myself, of course).
48. Philip Yancey is one of my favorite (and most respected) Christian authors.
49. Rick Warren is a close second.
50. I love dark chocolate.
51. I hate horror movies, or anything with too much suspense.
52. I'm very sensitive to what I watch (so I self-censor what I see).
53. My husband is my best friend.
54. I prefer Jay Leno over David Letterman.
55. I love ska music.
56. I am teaching myself how to crochet.
57. I am also teaching myself how to sew with my sewing machine.
58. I love Doraemon cartoons.
59. I also love Ranma 1/2 anime.
60. I still sleep/play with stuffed animals.
61. Clancy the bear (from Pottery Barn Kids) is my favorite stuffed animal.
62. I have many good/close friends.
63. Yet I still consider myself a very private person (see #13 above).
64. I love to sing, but think I have a very average chorus voice.
65. I'm a 2nd alto.
66. I used to write poetry in high school.
67. I also wrote a short story piece in high school.
68. Growing up, I was a bookworm - I absolutely LOVED to read.
69. I'm a terrible gardener (I have a black thumb).
70. My faith is very important to me.
71. My husband thinks I am fiesty.
72. I have a temper, if you push me too far.
73. I can also be a pushover at times.
74. World events deeply affect me (see #47).
75. Missions has had a presence in my heart since I was in high school.
76. I try to live my life deliberately and purposefully.
77. I believe everything in my life has a purpose.
78. I love having people over my house (I love hosting).
79. My biggest petpeeve: People who treat me like I'm a child or like I'm stupid.
80. My primary love language is "acts of service".
81. I am comfortable having just as many male friends as female friends.
82. I hate it when people look down on me because of my age (see #79).
83. I can be very stubborn sometimes.
84. I love spicy food!!
85. Moving out of my parents house (after college) was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
86. I love ramen noodles.
87. People say that I wear alot of expressions on my face.
88. That's why I can't play poker very well (it's easy to read everything on my face).
89. I also make alot of noises/motions when I can't articulate my thoughts into words.
90. I'm a little nervous about having children.
91. In college, I tried to learn how to make the perfect cheesecake.
92. I keep my distance from people who don't respect my boundaries.
93. I also keep my distance from people I don't trust.
94. On my wedding day, my brother walked me down the aisle.
95. I've been blogging since May 2002.
96. I've been forced to take piano lessons for 10 years.
97. I've been forced to take Chinese School for almost 10 years.
98. I get squeamish on anything too sappy (movies, music, anything).
99. My favorite flower: gardenias.
100. I love to travel and explore different countries and cultures.

Under Construction

2006-01-04T16:22:00.000-08:00

So you'll notice things around here will look a bit different from before. I'm changing things up, so let me know if something looks weird or doesn't work for you! I'm hoping all the links work ok!

Now it's time to figure out a button and a banner...

Happy New Year!

2006-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

As everyone is doing knitting resolutions - mine is to purely not drown from my growing number of WIPs. It's starting to get overwelming!! And these are mostly projects for other people! So knitting becomes stressful and not as enjoyable as it once was. And I miss knitting purely for the sake of learning and experiencing a challenge for myself. So in order to keep things simple (so as to not stress myself out anymore), only two things:

1) Managing my WIPs to a minimum (no more than 3)
2) Knitting projects more for MYSELF.

Among other things, I have felt the need to change up this blog. I'm really tired of this layout I'm in the midst of deciding what I want for a new template. I'm still unwilling to pay for blog services (yes, I've briefly thought about jumping ship like everyone else and joining Typepad but decided against it for various reasons). Which means I have to manually change up my layout, which is ok with me, if it's not alot of work. I'm just scared that all my blogger tags will disappear and I'll lose all my posts! And a new template means I have to manually re-insert all my links and sidebar stuff. Just thinking about it makes me a tad stressed. =P

And speaking of changing up this blog, I've done a little tinkering here and there. My FO thumbnails on the sidebar are now hosted by Flickr (rather than Photobucket) so they look alot more neater. I've also started a gallery of my FO's - which I'm still playing around with, but I'll probably keep because I need some sort of organizational system to display it all. It's not public yet, but I'm putting up a link here in case you want to take a peek at it (and give me feedback). =)

P.S. The photo above is our beloved Clancy the Bear (he's practically part of our family), who happens to wear a knitted sweater (that I did not make). But that's ok - he's adorable anyways. =)

Happy New Year! Blessings to you and your family. =)

We have... Granny Square!!!

2005-12-30T17:37:00.000-08:00

This will be my third attempt at crocheting (my first attempt was confusing to say the least, my second attempt was a bit more successful). I've been stumped by crocheting in the round, and wanted to at least learn how to do a granny square (there are so many cute patterns out there involving the granny square!). It was confusing at first, because I thought I had to dc into the actual chain stitches, but then it dawned on me that all I had to do was dc into the ring itself. The rest was ecstatic history. Here are the results!

My tension was a tad loose on the first one (can you guess which square was my very first one?). =P

FO: Cabled Scarf

2005-12-29T00:47:00.000-08:00

This was actually supposed to be a Christmas gift, but hey, better late than never, right? I needed a break from some of my projects, and this was a simple, mindless, and theraputic knit throughout the hectic holidays.

Pattern: Karaoke Cable Scarf
Yarn: Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino Aran #101 (3 balls)
Needle: US #7 straights
Approximate Size: 7'(length), 2-3/4"(width)

Additional Notes

Pattern
Simple enough. If you don't know how to do cables, this would be a good practice project for it. I love the skinnyness of this scarf.

Yarn
What can I say that hasn't been said about this yarn? It was soothing to my hands/fingers. Like I mentioned earlier, very theraputic. My fingers really appreciated it. =)

All I need left is to make a fabulous label and then to mail it off! =)

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-23T09:22:00.000-08:00

I've been busy with various knitting projects (I can't really post pictures just yet because they are gifts). But this one I can publicize!

FO: Mini-Sweater Ornaments

In my hand:

On the tree:

Pattern: Mini-Sweater Ornament
Yarn: Lion Brand's Magic Stripes, Denim Stripe; 75% wool, 25% nylon
Needle: US #1's and 4's dpns
Accessories: mini clothes hanger
Approximate Size: 2-1/4" length, 4-1/2" body circumference

Pattern Notes:

Pattern
A really fun (and quick) knit! I think I finished one sweater within one (full) afternoon. Fiddling with size 1 needles was interesting at first (it's the smallest I've ever worked with thus far!) but after awhile, I got the hang of it. Too bad I discovered this pattern so late in the season, or then I would have made a bunch of these to give away for gifts!! But I enjoyed the pattern alot, and will definately keep this for future gifts (baby showers, etc.) as well.

Yarn
I used leftover sock yarn (the pattern asks for fingering to sport weight yarn). The self-striping aspect of Magic Stripes made the mini-sweaters look so cute! I'm very happy with it. =)

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!! Merry Christmas!!

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NAS)

Homemade Labels

2005-12-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

I've made homemade labels for some of my most recent knitted gifts! I used Grumperina's tutorial to guide me. Also a BIG thanks to Jen who has helped me alot - thank you thank you thank you! =D

So I made two labels:

Excuse the really sucky handsewing skills, but here is where I've sewn on the labels to my projects:

All purty and ready to go! =D

FO: Grace's Baby Blanket

2005-12-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

I cranked out this baby blanket in 4 weeks to be exact (I started a couple days after I received a baby shower invite, and the baby shower is this Saturday).

Laid out on my blocking board:

Details on the ruffles:

Draped over my couch (excuse my sucky photography skills):

Pattern: "Eyelet Baby Blanket" by Blue Sky Alpacas
Yarn: Sirdar Supersoft Aran #859 (Oatmeal); 100% acrylic
Needle: US #10.5
Blanket Size: 31" x 34"

Additional Notes

Yarn
Ok, so I was VERY tempted to get a luxurious yarn for this blanket - DB's cashmerino, some very ultra soft options at my LYS, even the recommended yarn for this project (Blue Sky Worsted or Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted). But because of budget reasons and the fact that I didn't want this baby completely sweating under 100% alpaca (remember, we're in sunny California here), I opted for Sirdar. It isn't exactly SUPER soft as I've felt other yarns, but it's ok for the purposes of my project. It's warm too - as I was knitting it up, I had it draped around me to keep me warm. Very snuggly. But the best thing that caught my eye about this yarn is that it is machine washable. And that's perfect for a baby item. Don't you think?? None of this handwash, dry flat, extra care, blah blah blah. Grace is going to be a first time mom, and she'll appreciate the fact that she can just throw this blanket in the washer and dryer without a care. Right? =)

Pattern
Simple pattern. Stockinette throughout the body, with yarn-overs in neat rows. The ruffles, on the other hand, got me scratching my head (the pattern wants you to pick up stitches, and start knitting facing the right side, which means you have to pick up stitches in a very weird way - either picking up on the wrong side, which causes unslightly puckering on the right side, or picking up counter-clockwise if you're facing the right side). If the mother of this baby looks closely at this blanket, she'll notice that not all the ruffle sides look identical - one of them I actually knitted the ruffles backwards (I picked up stitches and started knitting on the wrong side). But who's telling? Shh! =)

I also didn't listen to the pattern (or gauge) and used a 10.5 needle instead of a size 11. And I consciously knitted more tightly. I know, my mistake. So when I finished the body of the blanket, it was a bit too short. So I added 30 more rows of blanket body to make it work the way I wanted it to look.

Next, let's see if I can make a homemade tag for this gift. =)

!!!!

2005-11-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? DH and I spent a lovely thanksgiving with his family and extended family in the bay area (I caught a cold from one of his aunts though - that part wasn't so lovely). Then we spent the rest of the weekend in Tahoe with some close friends. They gave me a surprise (belated bday) gift:

I screamed in delight when I found out what it was. I was so delighted in not just the gift, but the amount of time and effort it took for my nonknitter friends to find what I would like. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness! How did they know????? =)

Today: Turning 28

2005-11-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

I celebrated yesterday (because I have a stinkin' midterm tonight), but I got some early goodies here.

I also wanted to share some sock photos - I've started on this sock over a month ago (it's my first sock!). I haven't quite finished with it yet, but I'm almost at the point where I do the toes and finish up. But I agree with all who have told me that turning the heel and doing gusset was pretty dang fun! Not as intimidating as I thought it would be!

So with that, I'll leave you with a few photos of my very first sock-in-progress (the exciting turning heel part):

Have a wonderful and thankful holiday!! =)

Hooked in Arizona

2005-11-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, so true to my word, I have been teaching myself to crochet. The truth is, I wanted to teach myself almost a year ago, but never had time (too many knitting WIPs taking up my time!). Plus, with the holidays coming up, a million and one baby showers on the way, and other things, I can barely keep up with my own WIPs, much less finish on time all the handmade gifts. Too many things to do, not enough time.

Anyways, my hunny and I went to Arizona this past weekend (additional pictures and details here). I took advantage of the time away from home by packing up my crochet stuff and occupying myself on the flight:

My first crocheted swatch!! I practiced each type of stitch for two rows each. (Can you identify which rows are which?) I used several of Candi Jensen's books - I really like her diagrams and clear instructions. It made it easy to read and figure out. I'd say that so far it seems really easy! (Right now I'm working on doing circles - a bit more confusing though)

And of course, how could I not pass up the opportunity to visit a yarn store while I'm in Tucson?? I went to Purls (the east location, since it was closest to my hotel). The ladies there were so nice!

Of course, I dragged my hubby along with me, and the store had nice couches and a sitting area - perfect for nonknitters while I shop. He amused himself by taking pictures of me while I was browsing around:

FO: Squatty Sidekick (by Avant Knits)

2005-11-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

So I finally finished this! I felted it last weekend (thank you to those who gently reminded me to get going on it.. hehe)

So I bought this pattern from Knitique (an LYS in Elk Grove) after seeing their displayed sample in the store. It was so cute! So here's my version of it:

Unfelted:

Felted with finishing touches (one button):

Me carrying the bag (fits snugly as a small shoulder handbag huh?)

A close-up of the button:

Pattern: "Squatty Sidekick," by Avant Knits
Yarn: Cascade 220, in Violet, 1 skein (100% Peruvian Highland Wool)
Needle: US #10.5 (29") circular
Accessories: Several stitch holders, waste yarn, one button

Additional Notes:

Pattern
LOVED the pattern. Really quick and easy. Caitlyn had advised me of some pattern suggestions (there is one minor error) but of course, I didn't listen and later had to frog back and conclude that what she originally advised was correct. Pretty much while knitting the bottom of the bag, instead of stopping at 60 rows as instructed, do one extra row. Next, (with RS facing you) pick up stitches all around (you will be going in a counter-clockwise direction) to begin knitting up the sides. Do NOT place marker from where you first started picking up stitches; instead, place your marker after your last picked up stitch. That will be the beginning of your round. You'll be at the correct place when you need to do your increases and decreases of this bag.
P.S. If you've purchased this pattern and are still confused, message me and I'll help you out. =)

In anycase, I felted it for exactly 7 minutes in hot wash, high agitation in my washer. I could have actually felted it a bit longer (I'd say 10 minutes or so total) but I was scared I'd over-shrink my bag (which has happened before). So I took it out when I felt it was a good size.

Yarn
There is absolutely nothing bad to say about Cascade 220. An excellent yarn! Great to knit with (it was a great alternative from my mohair project) and felts wonderfully. It comes in a pretty large selection of colors too. And even better, it doesn't shed the way Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride would. I've already got a second ball of this to make a second purse. =)

FO: Ruffles Scarf

2005-11-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

Modeled by my friend Mary (thanks Mary!) - it was a little too bright, but you can make out the scarf and all the curly ruffles, right? =)

Pattern: "Ruffles," From Scarf Style
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (#101 - cream/off-white), 3 balls
Needle: US #8 straights

Additional Notes:

Pattern
The pattern was a bit confusing at first (the only time I've ever done short rows was a couple weeks ago when I did the heel and gusset of my first sock). Once I figured it out, it was pretty easy and it went really fast. I actually knit this up in a week, but have been postponing posting it because it's for a friend. In anycase, the only thing I was wondering about was how to discretely hide the short rows. If you look closely, you can see them. Any tips on making them look more subtle?

Yarn
All I can say is, wow!!! It was so incredibly soft and wonderful to knit with!! I have heard that it pills quite a bit with repeated washing, so it's (sadly) probably not good for a sweater project or the like. But a fun soft and warm scarf - perfect!

Catching Up

2005-11-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile! I feel like I've been neglecting my knitting blog. Partially because I have no FO's to present - so many WIPs to finish up! Here's what I've been up to:

1) Ruffles Scarf - Yes, I've jumped on the bandwagon. I actually just finished it last night, but it's for a friend and I can't post anything about it just yet, not til she gets her gift. I'll just say that Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran was heavenly to work with. =)

2) A cute felted bag - I've actually finished this nearly a month ago, but never got around to felting it. I'm terrible with finishing up projects (surprise surprise!). I swear, after I finish writing this post, I'm sending it straight to the washing machine to felt. I will I will I will!

3) My first sock - for the first time, I've turned heel and done gusset!! I was so proud of myself and took pictures. Of course, this was weeks ago, and completely forgot that I didn't download them onto my computer just yet, and last night I was cleaning up my camera and deleting what I thought was "old" pictures. And I accidentally erased (guess what) my sock progress! ARGH! I'm going to have to figure out how to retrieve those pictures (if it's possible).

4) I painted my nails a cool color last weekend, here's a picture.

5) Still doing the high school knitting club thing. I've learned quite a bit while figuring out how to teach. First things first: Don't be discouraged if not everyone finds knitting to be as enjoyable as you think it is. Lots of kids dropped out for various reasons. It was discouraging, but I'll shrug it off as a normal thing, not everyone has to connect with this particular craft. Right?

6) I'm taking a Mandarin class. The teacher has kicked it up a notch or two, so I'm studying like crazy now. I still have a desire to learn Japanese (with the main purposes of wanting to read those Japanese knitting magazines, mangas, and other cool Japanese things). I was told that Japanese is among the hardest languages to learn (everyone says that the grammar is absolutely confusing). So in the meantime, I have to gain some Japanese friends fast, so I can decifer some of this Japanese I've got here! =)

7) Church stuff - Ok so this year was actually a lull in volunteer activities, until we got back from our Asia trip. Then we were bombarded with a handful of opportunities. I've already declined several, and after some praying, we're pursuing a select few. Among them is ~~a potential church plant~~ and a start up small group for young couples. I love serving, but at the same time, I have to keep myself in check while I'm in it. I'm also still struggling with some insecurities with missions (it's a burden my husband and I have) but we'll save that for another time in my other blog.

Ok, signing off! Hopefully by the end of this week that felted bag will be done!! =P

Another knitting meme

2005-11-01T17:54:00.000-08:00

Tagged by Caitlyn. Here goes!

What's Your All Time Favorite Yarn To Knit With?
I just discovered Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (this afternoon I just cast on for a scarf and was very impressed). SOOO nice.

Your Favorite Needles?
Surprisingly, I love my Susan Bate straights (the aluminum ones). But for circs, I love my Addis. I'm using Clovers for my dpns (I would attempt Lantern Moons for dpn's, but it was a bit more expensive. Is it worth it?).

The Worst Thing You've Ever Knit?
Ok, so it's the one WIP that I'm scared to finish up. I was working on it this past spring, and in late May, I messed up on the lozenge pattern decreasing (it was a really dumb mistake that I didn't catch until 40 rows later - ACK). I can't even take a picture of it because I'm so ashamed of it. My hubby keeps reminding me of it, wanting me to finish it. I will one day - the needles are still in there. Just thinking about it gets me frustrated and upset. =/

Your Most Favorite Knit Pattern? (Maybe you don't like wearing it, but it was fun to knit)
So far it was Kate Gilbert's Samantha. Even though I had to re-write a section of it, it was fun to knit up. Being in Maui while I was knitting it up probably contributed alot my enjoyment in the process, and the end result made it even more sweeter. So far it's my favorite baby thing I've made.

Most Valuable Knitting Technique?
Hmmm, lots of things are valuable, but I suppose some of my favorites are the mattress stitch and kitchener stitch. They just look so cool and I'm always amazed at how it looks when I'm done. Cables are nice too!

Best Knit Book or Magazine?
So far my favorites are the ones I use as reference books: Vogue Knitting and Maran Illustrated Knitting & Crocheting. When I find a great stitch reference/dictionary book, that will be included in this list as well (anybody know of any good ones?).

Favorite Knit-A-Long?
I haven't been in that many, so I can't say.

Your Favorite Knitblogs?
I mostly follow blogs with authors I personally have a friendship with. For me, it's hard to follow a blog that I've never had any one-on-one interaction with. If you're my friend, I'm regularly checking your blog! =)

Your Favorite Knitwear Designer?
No offense to Debbie Bliss (although I love her yarns), I'm not a fan. About 80% of the all patterns I've done (including DB), I've had to alter or change because of some mistake in the pattern. This has actually caused me to read patterns with a cautious eye nowadays (I hate improvising, but this is actually teaching me to, so I guess that's good). But so far I trust Julia, and anybody published from Knitty.

The Knit Item You Wear Most Often?
That would have to be one of my favorite purses. It's super cute and I get alot of compliments from it too! =)

P.S. I'm not going to tag anyone specific, but you are welcome to do this meme if you want! Just let me know if you're doing it, so I can read it too! =)

Mohair Madness

2005-10-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, so from my knitting goals, I said I would get started on lace. I figured I can start on Mother's Day gifts early! So I've started on the Lacy Lattice Stole and this is what it looks like so far:

One thing I was not prepared for, was just how tricky mohair can be!! This is my first time with mohair, and it's like knitting with really thin (but hairy) thread! Even floss would be thicker! And I didn't anticipate the hairyness of mohair to be so clingy to everything. I don't mind the thin aspect of mohair, but the clingy hairy part was a bit frustrating. I've only gone through 4 rows of the chart and I realize as a mohair newbie, I need to work on this very carefully. If I mess up, frogging back would be a nightmare (everything is already stuck to each other). A lifeline would permanently be attached (I would have to cut through all the fuzzy hair to get that lifeline out). Anyone have any suggestions on working with mohair? So far I'm just working very carefully so nothing gets stuck and I don't make any dumb mistakes (what is it like to frog back with mohair?)

On another note, in a previous post I mentioned I was starting to teach knitting at a local high school. I had my second session yesterday. It's fun, but I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing (details on this forum thread). I've recruited a friend to help out, who recently has taken up knitting as well (yay!!). Any suggestions on this new endeavor are welcomed as well! =)

My One-Year Knitting Birthday

2005-10-21T00:06:00.000-07:00

Exactly this day last year, I picked up a pair of wooden needles, a book, and started teaching myself to knit. My dad originally taught me when I was in elementary school, but I only knew knit stitches (I couldn't cast-on, off, or purl). I quickly lost interest and was distracted by learning cross-stitching and other crafts. Fast forward years later, and look at me now! I've been knitting for a full year (only blogging about it for 7 months so far), an armful of FO's, new skills, and I've already got an on-going gig to teach others to knit (a weekly group of high school kids, you can ask me about that later). I'm pleased with my progress thus far.

I've discovered that I'm a process-knitter (as opposed to a results-knitter), and I alot of my projects are gifts. The only ones that I actually keep are ones that I'm too ashamed to give away (filled with mistakes or they are just plain ugly and unpresentable), or they are way too pretty to give away (mine mine mine!!) =) I'm not comfortable being paid for my new craft-hobby (yes, I've been approached before) but I'm more than happy to put lots of love and care into a personally crafted gift for a friend or loved one.

I am obsessed with handbags, and I've discovered a new love for lace. I have not ventured to socks yet - reason being I am personally not a sock person (I hardly EVER wear socks) but this fall I'll give it a hand and see what all the sock-fuss is all about. =)

I'm careful about starting up a stash - I know this is very strange for a knitter, but I actually don't have much of a stash. The little that I do have, are leftovers from previous projects, and a few skeins of cheap acrylics and acrylic/wool blends (for purposes of teaching others). I only purchase yarn by the project, hopefully going from one project at a time. Let's hope I keep that up, for budget reasons! =)

I'm sure my knitting-identity/preferences will change overtime, but for now, this is the 1 year-old knitter that I am! =)

Future knitting goals for the coming year:
- bead knitting
- this fall: try out sock knitting
- this winter: try out color knitting (intartia, fair isle)
- this spring: lace!!

Specific future projects (tentative):
- SnB's Peppermint Twist Sweater
- Fiddlesticks Lacy Lattice Shawl
- Lion Brand Basic Socks
- Lion Brand Flower Bag
- finishing those WIPs that I've been neglecting? (we'll see about that) =P

FO: Samantha

2005-10-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Tada!! Another FO on the same week! It speaks nothing of my productivity, however, just my procrastination in finishing everything up at the last minute. =P Anyways, this knit is for C&A's little Maya, also due sometime in November. C&A are dear friends of ours, who are in town, so maybe one day I can catch a glimpse of little Maya wearing this (depending on how much the parents will like this gift, no obligations of course!)

But no knit is without some flaws (at least mine aren't). But I'm not a type A sort of knitter, so I left them there, to make this special knit even more "unique" (actually, I was just to lazy and frustrated to rip back). There are some glaring ones that I will present to you:

Exhibit A: (Top: left sleeve details; Bottom: right sleeve details)

Exhibit B: (Top: left front bodice details; Bottom: right front bodice details)

Pattern: "Samantha," by Kate Gilbert.
Yarn: 1 skein Red Heart TLC Baby in Powder Pink (100% Acrylic)
Needle: US #3 (24") circular, US #4 straights, US #4 (24") circular
Accessories: 1 stitch marker, LOTS of scrap yarn to hold live sts
Gauge:

Additional Notes:

Pattern
Overall I really enjoyed the pattern. Very organized (even color-coded for all the different sizes throughout the pattern!). I liked the details on the bodice and the sleeves, and even the little ruffles to create a little dress-like effect. To make the edging, the pattern tells you to hold live sts and then after folding over, sew on the live sts onto the WS - it looks and feels nicer than actually binding off and then folding over to sew in (which I did for my lavendar Baby Bonnet and Sweater Set). There also were some confusions along the way, however, but Kate was able to email me back in a timely manner to help me with my questions. A couple things to keep in mind for myself:

- When working the buttonholes for the right front bodice, do backward loop cast-on when asked to CO2.
- When doing sleeve detailing, make sure the marker is immediately before the center 2 sts (for the RS). On one of the sleeves, I didn't keep track of where my marker was and my carelessness resulted in Exhibit A (see above).

A couple things I changed in the pattern:

- The decreases on the sleeves; when working decrease rows on the WS, the pattern says to SSK. That didn't make sense since it was a purl row (and it looked terrible when I did it) so I substituted in SSP instead. Much better.

- I rewrote the entire "Left Front Neck Shaping" section. Reasons being, when I read the original instructions, it didn't make sense. It seemed like it was actually making a different version of right front neck shaping, and it was backwards. I even attempted it (with a lifeline, of course) and it looked the mirror version of what it was supposed to be. So after scratching my brain REALLY hard (ouch), I successfully made my own version of "Left Front Neck Shaping" (for size 3 months):

Row 37: K until 5 sts rem on left needle, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1.
Row 38: Work 8 sts in patt (place these onto circ needle). With straights, sl1, p across.
Row 39: K to last 4 sts, place these sts onto circ needle, turn.
Row 40: Sl1, p across.
Row 41: K to last 3 sts, place these sts onto circ needle, turn.
Row 42: Sl1, p across.
Row 43: K to last 2 sts, place these sts onto circ needle, turn.
Row 44: Sl1, p across.
Row 45: K to last 1 st, place these sts onto circ needle, turn.
Row 46: Sl1, p across.

Whew!!!!

FO: Debbie Bliss Dress With Eyelets

2005-10-16T01:25:00.000-07:00

For M&C's future little girl! Will be shipping this little surprise gift off to them this weekend:

The front:

The back:

Pattern: "Dress with Eyelets", from Debbie Bliss Baby Knits for Beginners, pp. 116-121.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss wool/cotton in color #125-505, dyelot #5 (a mustard yellow-ish color). 50% Merino wool, 50% cotton.
Needle: US #2 and #3 straights, US #2 circs
Gauge: 23 sts/4 inches (with #3 circs)

Additional Notes:

Pattern
Not a bad knit. The pattern was pretty easy, albeit ambiguous in certain areas. I don't know much about Debbie Bliss patterns (I'm sure Debbie is a wonderful designer), but I have heard some things that caused me to hesitate and go through the pattern with a sharp eye as I went along. I wouldn't go as far as to say it was poorly written, I'd just say that certain parts could have been a bit more specific, so I would have to scratch my head in frustration trying to guess what the pattern was implying. I'm not that great of a knitter to have the patience (and brain cells) for guesswork just yet. In anycase, it was a simple knit, and a simple but very pretty dress resulted.

Yarn
I'm sad that this yarn is discontinued. I had to scrounge around to find any (I found some leftovers at an LYS, only to finally finish knitting this up and it turns out Jimmy Beans Wool had tons of it on sale (they still do)... in so many different pretty shades too. DOH!!!! In anycase, it felt great and was perfect for a simple baby knit.

Gauge
My gauge was a bit wonky on this (I'm guilty of not doing a swatch ahead of time). The pattern says to set the gauge at 25 sts/4 inches, but with the recommended size needle and recommended yarn, I would have had to knit SUPER TIGHT to get that gauge. So I knit this up in the regular tension that I do, and the dress is just a tad bigger/wider, which is ok with me.

Finishing Issues

2005-10-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

By early next week I absolutely NEED to transform a couple of these WIPs into FOs. These babies' due dates are creeping up on me way too fast, and we're having dinner with one set of parents-to-be sometime next week (ack!). So here's what I'm seaming up this weekend:

I have a love/hate relationship with the mattress stitch. I'm too lazy to block the thing (so I'm working with curling knits) and it can be awfully frustrating in the beginning to find the right places to stitch. I need more than just marking pins for seaming (I have the clover kind), what I really could use is those marking safety pins. In anycase, the "love" part of this after alot of grunting and swearing under my breath, I look back at my work and it looks surprisingly wonderful. Completely invisible and everything's in line, ready to block!

Yarn Harlot

2005-10-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

A really quickie post here. Anyone ever read through this book?

I was hanging out with hubby at our local Borders the other day, and picked it up. It is hilarious. I haven't finished it yet (it was a good break from my knitting - my pink Samantha baby sweater dress is on the right side of the book) but hopefully soon. A really good and fun read.

Here are some other fun reads as well:

But I definately recommend Yarn Harlot's most recent book. She's a terrific writer.

On another note, I am still jetlagged - not from Asia anymore (thank goodness) but I'm currently operating on Hawaii-time. Everything is 3 hours later for me. Ack! Tommorrow I'm going to force myself to get up at a decent hour in the morning - by going to a couple LYS (what a great motivation). Probably Babetta's and Frog Pond. Just to browse... of course. =)

Travel Updates!

2005-10-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

Finally back home! We were sad to leave, but now that we're home, we're glad to be home. =) I've posted a brief summary (with some pictures) on my other blog; check the 10/5 posts. Meanwhile, I'll share here things on the knitting front of my trip:

I've finished knitting up the Debbie Bliss dress. All I have left is to block it, sew in a button in the back, and weave in a colored ribbon through the decorative holes. And then it's all set to give away! Here's the front:

Here's the back:

While I was overseas, I was able to meet a couple knitters!! It was alot of fun to finally put faces to the names and blogs. I met Laura in KL:

And went yarn shopping with some of the SnB girls in Singapore! (from left to right: me, Lois, Cara, Matilda):

I also had lunch with Emy, but alas, neither of us remembered to take a picture. Next time! =)

Lastly, I'll end this post with me on the Ka'anapali Beach (Maui), attempting to knit. Shortly after this picture was taken, I immediately put away my knitting, because sand was getting everywhere, and the air was humid with salt water. I did make lots of progress with my Samantha baby sweater dress, pictures will come soon!

Tagged!

2005-09-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Cyndi! (At this moment I'm blogging from San Jose - we flew in from our Asia travels this morning, and we'll be flying back out to Maui tommorrow morning - crazy, I know. For some ridiculous reason, it's cheaper to fly back to SFO and out again, rather than going straight to Hawaii from Singapore. Whatever.) Anyways, here goes.

TEN YEARS AGO:
I graduated from high school, and was in the process of attending UC Davis as an undergrad. This was my first time out of my parents house. I was pretty naive and nervous, but very excited. At the time I had big plans on being an RN, and travelling the world being a missionary/Mother Teresa type, sharing my medical skills and God's love to the less fortunate all over the world. Yes, I was a big dreamer. Little did I know that in the near future I would fail upper division physio and drop this dream altogether (at least the medical aspect of it).

FIVE YEARS AGO:
I was out college for a year, doing finance at a start-up in Silicon Valley. Was living with friends in Fremont. By then I had already met my boyfriend (who would later become my husband), and we were struggling with a long-distance relationship (he was in med school at Davis). Because of some of my convictions at the time, I chose to quit my job (deliberately opting out of stock options) and go to China for the first time to teach English, experience missions, live like a local, and explore the world and who I was. I also was freshly out of moving out of my parents' house (a huge traumatic experience, I'll save that story for another day) and starting to question all the things I had known growing up. I believe 2000 was a huge year for me - I was being prepared for some huge paradigm shifts that would later shake up my world view in the next few years.

ONE YEAR AGO: Hubby was starting is last and final year as a resident doctor. Boy was I happy! He can finally have (somewhat) regular hours and we'd have more time together. At this point, I had already given up looking for a job, and decided temporarily to be a housewife, to be flexible with his residency work schedule and be a full-time support for him. We celebrated our 2nd year anniversary, and soon after, headed off to Nepal with our pastor and two other friends on a very brief medical mission trip. Our time in Nepal opened my eyes to so much, and we were able to visit the some of the poorest villages. Hubby made some house visits to leprosy patients. It broke my heart just seeing and meeting all the people there. We hope to return there one day.

FIVE SNACKS:
- Chips
- Dark Chocolate (cravings only happen once a month)
- Cheese-its
- Cheese puffs
- Ramen!!! (particular the korean kinds, with the really spicy flavoring packets)

FIVE SONGS I KNOW ALL THE WORDS TO:
There's a handful I know - alot of them from the 80's. I was a big Madonna and Prince fan. =P

FIVE THINGS I WOULD DO WITH $100 MILLION:
- Give it away to various charities and organizations
- Invest it and grow it in order to give it away to various charities and organizations
- Invest it for our own personal uses (college fund for future children?)
- Divide it up among family members
- Travel!! (and buy lots of yarn, of course)

FIVE PLACES TO RUN AWAY TO:
Depends on what I'm running away FROM. ;)

FIVE THINGS I WOULD NEVER WEAR:
- polka dots
- anything that is florescent
- fur
- shoulder pads
- any heels more than 2 3/4 inch high

FIVE FAVORITE TV SHOWS:
- Scrubs
- Project Runway
- Anything on the Food Network (especially Everyday Italian)
- Everybody Loves Raymond
- Gilmore Girls

FIVE BIGGEST JOYS:
- my husband and family members
- my close friendships/relationships
- serving God
- having a purpose and being fulfilled by it
- serving others

FIVE FAVORITE TOYS:
- my knitting needles, of course!
- my KitchenAid electric mixer
- my KitchenAid food processor
- my computer
- Clancy (our loveable and huggable stuffed bear from Pottery Barn Kids)

Travelling WIPs

2005-09-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

One must choose wisely what projects to bring! Nothing too complicated, of course. =) So I've decided to bring two items:

1) I'm almost done with the Debbie Bliss baby eyelet dress - all I have left to do is to seam up the sides, weave in all those danged ends, block, sew in back button, and weave in a colored ribbon through the eyelets. At most I can do on this trip is seaming it up and weaving in the ends, and the rest I can do when I get home (I found out that the recipient of this gift is expected to be born at the end of the year, so I've got plenty of time). =)

2) The second WIP I'm bringing is a new project I haven't started yet. It's another baby thing seen here:

It's a sweater dress called "Samantha" by Kate Gilbert. The baby that this gift is intended for, is due sometime in November, so I have to really get a move on with this project. I'm using a soft pink sport weight yarn. Maybe when I come back to the States, I'll have made great progress on this, we'll see! =)

Until then, y'all take care, and I'll chat with the rest of you when I return in October! Ciao! =)

FO: IK's Lacy Kerchief Scarf

2005-09-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

I actually finished this a couple weeks back, but was too lazy to weave in the ends until this week (yes, I have completion issues but I'll save that for another post another day). =) I tried to display the scarf like the one in the magazine, but couldn't do it. This was the best shots I could get (click on any picture for detailed close-up):

A close-up of the lacy edging:

Pattern: "Lacy Kerchief Scarf" from Interweave Knits, Summer 2005, pp.53-55.
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Bluebell, 6 skeins.
Needle: US #6 straights or circs (do not join)
Gauge: 20 sts/28 rows per 4 inches (in garter st)

Additional Notes:

Pattern
Overall the pattern was pretty smooth and easy to knit from. The only problem I had was a mix up with the chart (the bind off symbol was in an "open" square which confused me at first) and I fumbled in trying to understand the directions at the yarnover increases (the directions weren't as clear as I would have like them to be). Gail and Joy helped clear up some of these confusions (thank you ladies!) and everything else went smoothly after that. Overall, I enjoyed the pattern and knitting it up!

Yarn
This was my first Knitpicks yarn. I really like Andean Silk! It's 55% Superfine Alpaca, 23% Silk, and 22% Merino Wool. The alpaca and silk make it soft and smooth, and the wool creates a wonderful warmth to it. Loved it.

New Skills
With this pattern, I did my first provisional/invisible (looped) cast-on. I had to do it 5-6 times to get it right and feel comfortable with it. I also did russian joins for the first time (yay!) and got pretty good at it. So far so good!

New WIP: Dress with Eyelets (Debbie Bliss)

2005-09-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

I feel like I haven't blogged in awhile! I usually try to get at least one post in a week, but this month is getting so crazy. We have out-of-town weddings every single weekend this month, and then we're off to Singapore/Malaysia for a week, and then Maui for another week. By mid-October, I'll just be glad to be home and veg out for awhile (even though I love to travel, I'm a true homebody at heart). =) Anyways, here are some weekend pictures from our labor day weekend.

On the knitting front:
With the onset of so many of my friends having babies, I figured this would be a great time to knit up some of my gifts to them! I certainly cannot knit fast enough to make it to some of the baby showers, but hopefully I'll finish them before the babies enter into the world. =) So here is one project I've started on. It's a Debbie Bliss pattern (I'm using Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton in a mustard yellow-ish color), and I've already knitted up the backside below:

And I've started on the front panel (afterwards, I'll seam them together and put a simple edging on the neck and armholes):

A little meme

2005-08-26T00:45:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Lynette... here goes!
My 23rd post 5th sentence reads:

Some have been sheared in an interesting way.

Weird, I know. It was my Lambtown post (which wasn't that long ago since this blog is fairly new) and I was referring to really adorable looking alpacs that were sheared up to their necks (leaving really fluffy heads at the top). Very cute.

In anycase, here are the rules for the meme:

1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five people to do the same.

I'm tagging Agnes, Amy, Caitlyn, Jen (Purse Ho), and Kaity (Punk Rock Knitter). What is in your archives, I wonder? =)

My New Muse

2005-08-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

I'm back from vacation, and this week has been a flurry of busyness and long to-do lists (husband's 30th birthday today, party tommorrow, lots of overnight out-of-town guests). But I managed to get some vacation pictures up.

But my main reason for posting today is something that came in the mail yesterday. I've been wanting to teach myself to use one of these for the longest time, and now I have one of my very own!! I can't wait to get started on this.

Also, an update on my Kerchief (not a great shot, sorry). So far I'm done with the yarn-over increases (thank you Joy and Gail for your help!):

My arms/shoulder are still hurting a bit, so I'm going to try to take it slow and lots of breaks now and then (and less computer use too). Thank you for all the kind thoughts and well wishes!

Progress: Lacy Kerchief Scarf

2005-08-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I've started on IK's Lacy Kerchief Scarf (Summer '05 issue, pg. 53). It starts off with an invisible provisional cast-on, which I frustratingly attempted to do almost 5 times. I ended up doing it with one of my Boye Needlemaster cords, rather than with waste yarn, and later slipped it onto a stitch holder. I'm also using KnitPick's Andean Silk yarn (it's SO soft!!). So far it's been going pretty good:

DH and I are about to go on vacation (road trip!) and I may bring along this scarf as a travel project. Our road trip will take us to Portland (I was born in Corvallis so we'll stop by there too), Seattle, and then Vancouver. I may also bring some reading with me too - not only do I need to catch up on some of my beloved reading, but I'm also starting to notice that I'm needing more than small breaks here and there from my knitting - my tendinitis is starting to flare up again on my right forearm (back in grad school, my tendinitis was so bad I had shooting pain on both forearms and couldn't sleep at night because of it... I'm pretty sure I rested it enough and it got better before it turned into some serious permanent carpel tunnel damage). I'm also experiencing some discomfort on my right shoulder, enough to make me consider switching my knitting style from English to Continental. (But since I'm midway in my project already, I didn't want to throw off my gauge so I'll stick with my style for now.)

Anyways, despite my stupid arm problems, hopefully when I come back, I'll be able to show more of my scarf progress. =P

So until then... ciao!

FO: Baby Bonnet and Sweater Set

2005-08-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm finished! Ta-da! This will be a gift for a couple who is expecting their first child, and I hope my humble gift will be ok for them. (You can click on the individual pictures and get a close-up on them.)
Note to self: stop knitting purple items - branch out to other colors!!

Another look:

A close-up on the edging and decorative YO's:

Pattern: "Baby Bonnet and Sweater," from Jean Leinhauser's Learn to Knit in Just One Day, pp. 22-25.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Orchid, 1 skein.
Needle: US #5 straights and circs (24")
Gauge: 11 sts/2 inches
Size: 6 months

Additional Notes:

Seaming
My skills suck, but hopefully it won't irritate the baby too much. This was knitted in flat pieces, and then the pieces seamed together. It took FOREVER to weave in all the ends, and doing the edging (edging was from picking up sts and knitting from them all along all the edges, and then folded over halfway and sewn on). If it weren't for the edging/weaving in ends, I was done with this project within a week or so.

Decorative touches
I actually did NOT attach the decorative white ribbon on the garment. I just stuck it on there to see what it would look like (that's how the pattern tells you to finish it, along with pictures of the finished product). Although the pattern tells you to attach the ribbons as such, I thought it would be terribly impractical for any child to have such long ribbons floating around to grab, eat, choke on, etc. And the ribbons are purely there for decorative purposes, not to tie the garment on or fasten it together or any practical purpose. So after I took these pictures (above), I took the ribbons off.

Summary
Knitting this up wasn't bad at all. It was a simple pattern and went pretty fast! And the end result is oh-so-cute! I think I'll do more baby stuff in the near future... I have so many friends who are pregnant with their first babies!

Lambtown Pictures

2005-07-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I only stayed a couple hours, but it was fun nonetheless! There was live music, a couple demonstrations and shows, lots of yummy roasted lamb booths, and of course, yarn!

A spinning workshop/class:

The animals! Some have been sheared in an interesting way. The sheep were loud (lots of "baa-ing") but cute:

Freshly sheared wool in bags, and pretty yarn for sale!

Ooooohhh... soft:

And of course, typical fair-food (we had their roasted lamb ribs - juicy and tender!!):

July 30th: Lambtown

2005-07-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about going to this. Hubby has an afternoon shift so perhaps we'll catch some morning demonstrations and shows. Hope it's not too hot that day! =P
Anyone else going?

New Button

2005-07-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have just wasted most of my morning playing with my blogs... rather than running errands (I had a whole list of things to do too!!) I made this:

I really need to stop playing with my blog!! From blogging to knitting, I'm getting absolutely nothing else done. =P

FO: Honeymoon Cami

2005-07-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

I finished this over a week ago, but didn't get around to organizing pictures until recently (hubby and I just got back from a trip to Pt. Reyes). I brought my cami with me!

Here's my Honeymoon Cami!

A close-up:

Pattern: Honeymoon Cami, by Julia Trice
Yarn: Dale of Norway Svale, Blue (#5824); a little less than 4 balls
Needle: US #6 circs
Gauge: 22 sts/4 inches
Size: 34"

Additional Notes:

Yarn
I really liked working with Svale. It's a cotton/vicose/silk blend, and drapes really nice and feels really nice. It's a bit splitty because of how it's plied, but you're careful, it should be ok. Although Julia says you don't have to block it, I did anyways, and found out that my Svale color bled just a little bit while I was handwashing it.

Pattern
- Size: I had noticed from other people's experience with knitting up size 34", was that it ended up being slightly too big, even though that was the initial measured size they were going for. Since my gauge was slightly smaller, I figured I could fudge a bit and get around that possible problem. Wrong. It actually was slightly too roomy for my comfort (especially how low the V-neck can go) despite the gauge difference. The next time I knit it up, i'll definately do the 32" size instead and I'm sure that will fit much more comfortably and snugly.
- Level of difficulty: My first time FINISHING a "piquant" project (Shimmer doesn't count just yet!) and it wasn't bad at all!! I've only been knitting since last October (so technically not a full year yet) and this project was pleasant to work with! It was a tad tricky when you get to working with the V-neck/armhole shaping, but once you figure it out, it's a cinch. I'm tempted to make a second one in another color (a soft pink?) and in a smaller size. I love this pattern!
- Future changes: A smaller size (as mentioned above). Also, probably neater armhole shaping. And if I'm bold enough, some decorative lace edging along the bottom. =)

August Projects

2005-07-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

I feel guilty for doing this, but I already ordered all the yarn for these projects! The guilty part of me has to due with the Peppermint Twist sweater - Rowan is expensive, and I totally splurged (I was going to substitute with more affordable yarns but the colors were too tempting!!).

SnB's Peppermint Twist Sweater:

Lacy Kerchief Scarf (from IK's Summer 2005)

The only thing is, the Peppermint Twist is knitted up in flat pieces, and then sewn together. I wonder if I can put this on circs instead...?

FO: Dayflower Lace Scarf

2005-07-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Weekend news - had some friends over for afternoon tea and a mini-workshop on how to knit. It was really fun. I also was able to finish my Dayflower Lace Scarf! Yay!

Here's the blocking:

It's drapes nicely... tommorrow I'm wrapping this baby up for a friend in Tulsa. =)

Pattern: Dayflower Lace Scarf, created by Toni M. Maddox
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Alpine Lilac, 1 skein
Needle: US #8

Cami Progress

2005-07-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

I've started the Honeymoon Cami, and here's what I've done so far (I've got the eyelet border and the waist shaping pretty much done):

Some closeups of the eyelet border:

New Project!

2005-06-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

I promised myself I would tackle that Shimmer and build up the courage to frog and fix it, but I needed a breather project to occupy myself with first. And since Branching Out peaked my curiosity and interest with lace, I figured that this next lace scarf project would go pretty fast and smooth. Here's my progress so far (I'm using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Alpine Lilac):

I love the soft lavender color - it's one of my favorite colors (can you tell by this blog?). I definately want to dabble into lace once my skills are more advanced. =)

Cabled Clutch

2005-06-18T13:52:00.002-07:00

Ok, it's finally done! I've posted pics of the process, and how I knitted it up (a pattern) below.

I knitted it up until the desired length.

A close-up of the cable (I used a needle top from my Boye Needlemaster set)

I bought dowels and used a handsaw to cut it to the right size. Then I used a pencil sharpener to sharpen the ends, and then I stained it a dark rosewood color.

Sewing it up together and put on a ribbon - tada!

Here's the back.

A top view so you can see the lining and the handles and the magnet buttons.

So here's how I did it - I took info from a KR thread and slightly tweaked it to my own makeshift specifications:

Materials: 1 ball of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (80% Acrylic/20% Wool); 2 wooden dowels (each 6-7 inches long); hot glue; 1.5 yards of ribbon

Needles: #13 straights, cable needle

Pattern:
Cast on 34 stitches. (I used a super bulky weight yarn - but if you want to use worsted weight, cast on 48 sts, and do a total of 3 cables instead of 2.)

Row 1 - p2 (k2, p2, k8, p2), repeat between (parentheses) one more time for a total of 2 cables, ending with k2, p2.

Row 2 - k2 (p2, k2, p8, k2), repeat between (parentheses) one more time for a total of 2 cables, ending with p2, k2.

Alternate these two rows until you get the length desired. EXCEPT do a cable crossing (cross 4 sts; I've put in bold where to cross) every 10 rows - on rows 6, 16, 26, 36, etc. to desired length, and end bag with 5 rows after the last cable crossing, then bind off. (I did a total of 41 rows, and my bag is 9 inches wide and 6-ish inches tall) Fold it in half, sew up the side seams, leaving 2 inches or so at the top so you will be able to open the bag.

I put in a lining, magnet button closure, and weaved a ribbon around the bag and tied it in the front. I also sewed the dowels to the bag by passing my yarn needle through one stitch, around the dowel, and through the next stitch, all the way across. Then I glued each side of the dowel to the last stitch of either side so the stitches don't slide off the dowel.

Note: I used Lion Brand's Wool-Ease Thick & Quick because it was the cheapest super bulky yarn around. I think in the future, for any kind of bag/purse, I'd recommend a bulky yarn of a cotton blend instead.

Cute Clutches

2005-06-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

I saw these really cute bags online. They cost a bit more than I'd like them to be, but looking closely, I think the pattern isn't too hard to figure out. I still haven't tried my hand at cables yet, but how hard can it be? I just gotta finish my WIPs first, before diving into this one. Can't wait!!

Tagged!

2005-06-06T00:31:00.000-07:00

Been extremely busy the past couple weeks... memorial day weekend hubby and I were in Redding for a church retreat. Last Wednesday was our 3-year anniversary (yes, we're still married young'uns!) then Thursday we zoomed off to Monterey for a weekend wedding. I'll be blogging about that plus pics in my non-knitting blog soon. =)

On the knitting front - taking a break from Shimmer (will start that swatch soon) and aiming to finish up those UFOs (two bags) that I've been procrastinating on.

Lastly, I've been tagged by Caitlyn, so here goes!

Choose five things from the list below and complete the sentence.

If I could be a scientist, I'd study people and their behaviors. =)
If I could be a farmer
If I could be a psychologist
If I could be a librarian, boy would I do a ton of delicious reading!!!!
If I could be an inn-keeper
If I could be a professor, I would do my very best to build mentoring relationships with my students.
If I could be a writer, I'd be doing poetry, music, and even a couple fictional short pieces.
If I could be a llama-rider
If I could be a bonnie pirate
If I could be an astronaut, I'd be alot more physically fit than I am now.
If I could be a world famous blogger
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world
If I could be married to any current famous political figure

Enjoy! =)

Shimmer Snag

2005-06-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm at the part (near the end) where I'm doing the raglan decreases in the middle of the lace/lozenge pattern. I'm halfway up when I realize that I've been decreasing incorrectly - rather than decreasing 6 stitches each row, I've been doing only 4 stitches. =O

If it was only a couple rows of mistakes, I actually have the patience to tink back, stitch by stitch. But this mistake starts almost 40 rows back... ACK!! So I'm obviously considering frogging up to the point where I made the mistake, pick up the stitches again, and resume knitting the pattern correctly.

My dilemna is that my only experience in frogging is when I'm frogging projects completely. I'm scared of frogging midway and picking back up my stitches (in fear of losing them, twisting them, etc.). I thought about threading in a lifeline at the point where I want to stop frogging... or even sticking my needle at the point where I want to stop frogging, but I don't know how to do it with this lace/lozenge pattern (if it was an easy stockinette, sure why not). I REALLY don't want to frog all that hard work and everything and start all over again. This is so discouraging!! =( =( =(

So I'm going to take a breather from Shimmer (not think about it for the next week or so) while I contemplate what to do. I've thought about knitting up a small swatch so I can practice picking up sts and frogging them carefully and correctly.

FO: Branching Out

2005-05-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

I finally finished Branching Out earlier this week! I've been too lazy to block it, but hopefully I'll get around to doing that next week. It's intended to be a gift for a friend of mine who is currently in South Africa for missions. She's due to come back this summer (their seasons are flip-flopped from ours - their summers are like winters and vice versa). Even though the lace scarf doesn't look like it's enough to keep you from the cold, it's surprisingly warm (the yarn is 65% wool). I figured this is something to encourage her and send her a bit of love as she wraps up her ministries there and prepares to come back home.

WIP:
I've resumed my Shimmer project. I've done once sleeve and I'm almost finished with the second. I'm a bit nervous about this project - it's my first "clothing" project and it's at "piquant" level. From what I hear, people had problems with the lace/lozenge pattern in the back, and the raglan decreases as you knit up to the neck area. I'm not there yet, but I figured I'd tackle it as I get there (I love a challenge!). It sounds like the problem is just keeping track of the repeating pattern as you make your decreases, so to make things easier, I might have to write out the patterns as I go. We'll see how things go as I get there. =P

Yarn Purchases:
I ordered Rowan's Kidsilk from The Knitting Garden a month ago, and I just recently received a second email about their backordered shipment delays. The yarn is for a purse project that I don't mind waiting on, but this purchasing experience is making me think twice about making future purchases with them. This also goes for WEBS, who also messed up my order, and I had to email them to find out why my yarn is taking so long to ship. Long story short, they were sold out but didn't contact me about it, and so I ended up cancelling the entire order. *sigh*

Branching Out Update

2005-05-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've been busy with Knitty's Branching Out scarf. It's my first time doing lace, and at first glance, the pattern looked fairly easy. As I started the project, I realized what was so frustrating about lace - keeping track of my stitches and where I was in the pattern!! I kept losing my place and messing up, and that ended up in me having to frog the scarf 3 times (and multiple tinkering in the middle too!). I've dropped stitches several rows below - which isn't that bad - but when it's a lace pattern, sometimes I have to keep myself from screaming in frustration. After all the mistakes and corrections, I realize that I can't really watch TV or carry on a conversation or do anything else while knitting this up. I need to have my full concentration on the pattern!

Despite my frustrating beginnings, I'm learning that lace isn't really all that difficult (if I pay attention), and I'm getting used to reading charts.

Here's a snapshot of my scarf so far (I'm using Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool in pink):

A close-up on the lace:

New Projects

2005-05-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

So it turns out I have to order an extra ball of Rowan Polar because my Arctic Bag actually takes more than just 2 of what the pattern says! So while I'm waiting for that to come in, I'm still working on that felted bag from Joann's and I did some searching around on Knitty for some new projects. Look what I found!

I Do Shrug
Branching Out Scarf
Shimmer Shrug

I've ordered yarn for the first two projects, and yesterday I started on Shimmer (in black). The yarn is soft, stretchy, and glittery (I just wish it was more affordable!). I've started on one of the sleeves, with a ruffled cuff:

Rowan Blossom Anytime Purse

2005-04-27T23:23:00.004-07:00

This one took (seemingly) forever to finish! But I actually started it last week and finished it Wednesday night (I spent at least an hour everyday on it, and then all day Wednesday sewing up everything together). I'm pooped, but satisfied with the results!

I knitted up the flat sides first.

Here's the handle.

Embellishments! Two green leaves (one large, one small), two petals, and one flower center (I didn't weave in the ends as you can tell).

I attached attached the sides together via mattress stitch, added on the handle, and found a cute fabric for the lining (the bag is inside out in this picture).

I found magnet buttons at my local Michael's (I like them better than the snap on kinds) and put them. Here's a top view.

A close-up on the flower attached to the purse.

The end result! The bag is a small cute one - measuring 6 inches tall and 9.5 inches wide (without the handle).

Boye NeedleMaster

2005-04-19T12:11:00.000-07:00

I finally got myself a set! It was $70 at my local Michaels store, but with a 40% off coupon, I purchased the set for $45. I read alot of reviews, and the only complaint with this set was that the needles screw off from the cables every once in awhile - which is scary because who wants to drop stitches!! But I think if you screw it on tightly enough (and the set gives you little tools to make it extra tight), there shouldn't be a problem. Plus, it has more needle sizes than the Denise set (prettier colors too), and it's not plastic (I'm an aluminum kinda gal). So far I've used it for my latest bag (see below) as straight needles, and haven't had a problem yet. It's smooth and slippery.

The Boye NeedleMaster from the outside (it's a dark brown zippered cover.)

The Boye set on the inside.

I'm using my #10.5 needles to make my latest bag (This is the Rowan Arctic Bag - a picture of the final result is to the right of my needles). My Yarn Market Rowan order came in and here's what I've done so far (30 rows of seed stitch).

Flowers

2005-04-15T14:30:00.002-07:00

So I've ordered a bunch of yarn for a couple projects I intend to start - only to find out that some of it has been backordered. So in the meantime, I figured I'd try my hand with some embellishments, specifically flowers. I tried out a handful of patterns I found online, and some worked, and some obviously didn't. My frustrations were ripped (see below).

My mistakes... argh!!!

One flower. I stuck a button in the middle because I didn't have any beads.

Other little flowers.

P.S. It took me the longest time to figure out - but I finally got my percentage bars to work! The current percentages don't reflect my actual progress in these projects just yet. But now you know what I'm aiming to work on - once I get my yarn, of course. =)

SnB's Marsupial Tote

2005-04-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

I finished SnB's Marsupial Tote last week! I finally had a chance to felt it over the weekend. Here are the pics! (Some of them are a bit darker because I took them at night - sorry)

Here's the base. At first I went according to the pattern but it didn't look very long to me, so I increased it by adding a handful more of rows.

I've picked up sts along the sides.

Changing colors! Instead of knitting 10 inches, I stopped at 8 to change colors and start doing the handles. In the picture, the bag is turned inside out (that's how I knitted it the whole way).

Here's the bag fully knitted, before felting.

Here is the bag after felting, laid flat on the ground. I felted it for only 10 minutes in my washer. It was so hairy! I bought a lint shaver and it helped a little, but its still kinda hairy (but not as much as before).

Another picture of the felted result. I really like it!

My First Bag!

2005-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

I'm finally done with my first knitted bag (pattern from Joann's)! It's a bit small, but I'm so proud of it because I even got to use my new sewing skills too! So here's a pictorial of how the process went:

I first knitted both sides of the bag, and two little flaps on top for the handles (to sew on later).

I stitched the bottom and sides of the bag together. This is what it looks like from the top. I also felted it a bit (because the material isn't 100% wool, it didn't felt completely).

I handsewed the handles on (with doubled up red thread). I got the lining from the scraps at JoAnn's. Here, I've already measured and sewed the lining together, and I've just pinned it onto the bag (the bag is flipped inside out) so I can sew the lining onto the bag. I used invisible thread, which is nice because you can't see my seams, but it was a pain in the butt because it was so hard to see the actual thread while I was doing it. It's a bit shoddy, but who cares! I did it! =)

Finished product!

Another view of the finished bag from the top (so you can see the lining).

Needle Book & Strawberry Pin Cushion

2005-03-30T13:34:00.001-08:00

I know this isn't knitting, but it's indirectly related because in alot of knitting projects, handsewing is needed. My sewing skills are almost nonexistant (in college I couldn't even sew on buttons). So I've taken on the task to teach myself (the next step would be to learn how to use a sewing machine, but that's for later).

Anyways, this is a little needle book I handsewed out of scraps of felt. It looks a bit shoddy, but I'm still quite proud of myself.

The outside cover of my needle book (the tulip and petals were glued on).

Some needles and pins safely stored inside.

My strawberry pin cushion! (I stuffed it with cotton balls, so it's a little lumpy.)
P.S. These projects are from Klutz.

Past Projects

2005-03-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my past projects. I gave away the first projects to my younger sister last year, so I don't have pictures of those. These were mostly from me needing to practice certain stitches and different things. They're pretty simple projects. The color is a bit dull because they are taken from my Palm (it's a Zire 70)...

A couple scarves - a simple garter stitch. I was playing with the texture of different yarns.

I used a 2x2 rib for this scarf. The colors are actually darker than the picture looks (it's a deep purple), and it's fuzzy and warm.

A fun warm hat to go with it! (The pattern I had also asked for a hat topper, but I usually hate frilly things coming out of my scarves and hats, so I omitted that part.)

My first cell phone cozy. I thought the button was cute.

My second coin purse. I didn't check the gauge (too lazy) so it ended up a little bigger than anticipated.

Matching cell cozy and coin purse.

The beginning

2005-03-19T14:31:00.000-08:00

My earliest memories of knitting were with my dad when I was 10. He taught me how to do several simple projects with aluminum needles, and I'd knit up a little scarf here and there. I never knew how to start my projects, so he'd cast on and bind off at the end for me. Then I got into embroidery and other interesting crafts, and forgot all about my needles.

I didn't pick them up again until fall 2004 - and taught myself (through a couple books). I'm still learning, but the movements have all been slowly coming back to me. It's been almost 2 decades since my dad taught me, but there's something familiar about the movement of my needles coming together that is comforting.

In anycase, this is a start of a new blog - a record of my humble projects. Have fun reading!